I have to say that was one of the emotion filled openings I've ever read. To read the conversation between Athur, whom I've always thought of a stoic, and Molly was heartbreaking, well done in capturing the feelings so well.

“God, Harry!” She turned around. “Aren’t you as tired of the ‘thought of me’ as much as I am of waiting for you?” - What a great line, you can feel her anger, helplessness and feelings for Harry in this one sentence!

Wow. Just being reminded of all the casualties of the war was so sad. I cried again today! You really have a wonderful way with words that seems to express exactly the right emotion. At least your writing makes me feel all kinds of things.....although I can be an emotional wreck at times .

~Hollu

St MargaretsTuesday 22nd April 2008 07:13

Part 1 (Author Response)

I wrote this shortly after DH came out, and I was an emotional wreck, too! I'm glad it still has an impact. Thanks for reading!

Lovely story. You always deliver! The is the first post DH story that I've read, as I've avoided them (along with re-reading DH). I'm still in semi-denial over Fred. But I can't ever resist a St. Margarets story. Thanks for keeping the romance alive. Looking forward to Parts 2 & 3.

St MargaretsThursday 6th September 2007 03:04

Part 1 (Author Response)

I need to re-read DH! I wrote this based on my first feelings about the book - maybe going back would give me a different feeling. I kept thinking every time Harry thought about Ginny that poor Ginny was stuck at Hogwarts and wouldn't know he was thinking about her. *sigh* And I'm with you - the hole Fred left didn't just affect George. I guess we could be like H/Hr folks and stay in denial, but that doesn't seem right. I hope you're inspired to write more. With your action/adventure abilities, you could write some great Harry-as-Auror plot lines. Thanks for reading!

Yay! Fluffy goodness! Just what I need before my first day of law school. I always love the way you portray Harry and Ginny. They're so sweet. Though I am a little surprised that it would take them a whole year to get back together, but all's well that ends well, eh? Thanks for writing!
Jay

St MargaretsFriday 24th August 2007 06:04

Part 1 (Author Response)

I hope all went well at school. The first day is always nerve-wracking. They've only been apart for two months, since the battle was the end of May and this August - but it seems like years to poor Ginny. Thanks for reading!

Great chapter, I was not expecting Arthur and Molly to fight!!! but I can understand why it happened and why they were avoiding each other.

An inspired decision by Harry for the birthday present.

Looking forward to the next chapter already

St MargaretsFriday 24th August 2007 06:02

Part 1 (Author Response)

I think that since Molly and Arthur are such different people and approach things so differently, they would have a hard time with their common grief. However, they love each other very much and have been together for a long time, so they would be able to find their way back to happiness.

I can't tell you my joy in reading this story. It's such a pleasure to see someone inspired to write post-DH! If this is just the first of three parts, I'm excited for the next two. You did a great job showing the feelings of Molly, Arthur, Ginny, and Harry. It seems so real, the feelings of loss mixed with anxiety about how you should feel, worrying about whether you're allowed to be happy, concern about how you should treat those that are closest to the loss. You did a fantastic job with the feelings in this story. I can't wait to read more!

St MargaretsFriday 24th August 2007 05:59

Part 1 (Author Response)

I'm glad you liked this part -it wasn't a joy to write - thinking about all of those confilcting feelings in the characters I love - but that seemed to be where JKR left them. Luckily, I get to bring them along to happier times. Thanks for reading!

Well, it's so nice to end on the note of Harry not being worried by the idea of the press finding out about Ginny! See? Harry is so brave!

I really enjoyed this. (Mostly the Harry parts, LOL. You know me and Ginny.) Harry seems a little shell shocked at first, and no wonder. He's sort of forgotten himself and still committed to what he feels are outside responsibilities. But it's also as if he's had enough of that and is slowly letting himself back in, and I think that's very realistic and keeping in character. Ginny is Ginny - spunky and impulsive and loving. They're very good together. The first part about Molly and Arthur and grieving for Fred was hard for me to read, in an emotional sense. My friends know I like drama and I LOVE flangst, but I don't like reading about deaths - maybe I've seen too much of it at work, so the fact that I was uncomfortable here means you were right on in terms of realistic emotional pain. I'm an avoider of death in my own stories (hey - it's the easy way out!). Coward that I am, I'd much rather the angst be about missteps and choices than about a loved one dying, so kudos to you for being so brave and treating such a tough issue with realism and love and even a little humor, but without melodrama. Keep it up!

St MargaretsFriday 24th August 2007 05:56

Part 1 (Author Response)

Harry is brave (and so proud to have a girlfriend - like any 17 year-old)

Yes, the parts with Arthur and Molly were hard to write since they were overcoming their own missteps in how to deal with the death of a dearly loved son. (Not that there is a manual that teaches you how to do that) But JKR left quite a hole in the Weasley family and there's no way to get to the fluff without dealing with that. (And you know I'll do anything for my fluff)

I understand how you feel about writing about death - especially with your job. I don't think there's a manual that says you ever have to write about it. So don't go calling yourself a coward.

Dear St Margarets:
I was waiting for your story after DH was released.
I wonder if you are going to write something about the aftermath of the battle at Hogwarts, perhaps in flashbacks because I think there are a lot of feelings there.
About this 1st chapter I liked the "conversation" between Mr and Mrs Wesley but I felt that it hasn't enough about Harry's feelings, how he has adjusted to the new situation.Maybe working is the only way to forget so much pain. I don't know.
Please update soon.And thanks for sharing this witl all of us.

St MargaretsFriday 24th August 2007 05:52

Part 1 (Author Response)

In the next chapter there will be more about Harry. Ginny and the Weasleys really had to come first to establish the tone (and the problems) of the story.

I love it. It's sweet, and hesitant (the characters, not the flow of the story), and it's like Ginny and Harry have to start over, because so much has changed for them. And I like the way that you've handled the Fred dying issue, where no one really knows what to say, they just go day by day. It's great, really. I can't wait to read more!

St MargaretsFriday 24th August 2007 05:49

Part 1 (Author Response)

I love the idea of H/G starting all over again in a way - I thought JKR really emphasized how young they both were in DH and it's sort of like a new beginning for fan fic. writers if you can get them past the grief. Thanks for reading!

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